Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning the lines of code, searching for any trace of the ones responsible for the attack. Aiden stood behind him, arms crossed, frustration rolling off him in waves.

  "We’re missing something," Aiden muttered. "Who benefits the most from my death?"

  Lucas's fingers hesitated on the keyboard. "That's the question, isn't it?" He swiveled his chair slightly to turn to Aiden. "It might be corporate sabotage, personal vendetta, or something we haven't even thought of yet."

  Aiden gritted his teeth. "I don't have a lot of enemies. None who would go this far."

  Lucas shot him a knowing glance. "Everyone has enemies, Aiden. Some just hide better than others."

  A tense silence stretched between them. Then, Lucas’s phone buzzed. He checked the screen, his expression darkening.

  "What?" Aiden asked.

  Lucas exhaled. "We’re not the only ones digging. Someone just tried to access your personal files. And they left a message."

  He turned the screen toward Aiden. Three words flashed ominously:

  Stop looking. Now.

  Aiden experienced a shiver crawl down his back as he saw the words. His throat had dried, and he reflexively stepped forward, as if to stand nearer the bodyguard would protect him from whatever malevolent force had just given him notice.

  Lucas's face was still inscrutable, but Aiden saw how his fingers clenched the phone, his jaw locking. In silence, Lucas took another device, rapidly performing a trace on the attempted breach. His hands flew across the screen with ease, his entire body exuding tension and concentration.

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  Aiden swallowed hard. "What is this? Are they spying on us at the moment?"

  Lucas did not reply at once. The screen wavered, code flying by too fast for Aiden to make sense of. At last, Lucas talked, his words low and calm.

  "It means they realize we're on their trail. And they don't approve," Lucas replied, tension building in his voice. His fingers rested briefly on the keys before he resumed typing, now with a swift ferocity, as if challenging some unseen stopwatch.

  Aiden's gut started to knot. "So what now?"

  Lucas let out a hard breath, his eyes darting to the security cams. "Now, we see how far they'll go." He groped under his jacket for a hidden weapon, clicked the magazine out with a practiced motion before shoving it back in. "And we prepare for the next."